Cushioned wheel rim



J. H. CLARK.

CUSHIONED WHEEL RIM.

APPLICATION man FEB. 3. 192|.

1,436,793. I Patented Nov. 28,1922.

Patented Nov., 2, i922 JAMES H. CLARK, OF PORTAGE CITY, WSCONSN, ASSIGNOB. OF ONE-HALF TO J. M. RUSSELL, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CUSHIONED WHEEL Rl.

Application led February 3, 1921.

.To all 'Lo/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES H. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portage City, in the county of Columbia and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Cushioned `Wheel Rims; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a cushion wheel or cushion rim for wheels of vehicles and is illustrated as applied to a wheel of ordinary type used on an automobile.

lt is an object of this invention to provide an additional resilient support for the wheel and the structure carried thereby to afford a greater relief against jars and shocks than would be afforded by the resilient tire. It is a further object of this invention to provide such an extra resilient support comprising` rollers carried in the outer portion of the wheel structure, which rollers are designed to have a limited circumferential travel in the wheel structure.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the wheel;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the rim structure shown on an enlarged scale and the greater part thereof being shown as a central circumferential. section;

Fig. 3 is a radial section of the wheel taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a central circumferential section of a modified form of the invention.

Referring `to the drawings, a common type of wheel is shown comprising the usual hub and spokes upon which latter is supported the felloe 1. The felloe 1 has secured thereto one or two similar angle members 2, the other of which is secured to this first one by nutted bolts 2a. The said angle members 2 are .Seurefl t0 the felloe serial No. 442,241.

by lugs 3a contacting the sides thereof and which are secured to the felloe by suitable bolts or screws. A channel member 3 of circular form is disposed oppositely to the channel member 2 and spaced at some distance outwardly therefrom. Both of the channel members 2 and 3 have secured to their inner portion, by rivets or other suitable fastening means, block members 4 and these members are provided with registering pockets 5 at spaced intervals therein. Rollers 6 formed of rubber or other suitable compressible material are disposed in the pockets 5 and are of sufficient diameter to contact with the bottoms of the pockets in the members 4 when the chan nels 2 and 3 occupy normal positions. rlhe rollers are shown as having a small bar passing axially therethrough. The rollers 6 and blocks 4 are of slightly less length than the width of the` channel members 2 and 3 and a thin plate of fiber or metal l" is disposed at the ends of the rollers 6 to form a seal and to keep dust and dirt from entering inside of the channel members f2 and 3. The outer block 4 and channel member 3 are provided with holes 3 through which any moisture or water which might get into the channel member, may drain. lt will be noted that the pockets 5 are of such length that the rollers 6 can move therein circumferentially of the tire so that a relative movement of the channel 3 and channel 2 is thus permitted, the rollers 6 merely rolling in contact with blocks 4 until they reach the end of the pockets 5. The rim member 9 is secured to the outer channel 3 by lugs 10 which are bolted to the channel member 3. A tire 11, preferably a solid tire, is shown as carried by the rim member 9.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the above description.

The weight or rod carried by the wheel will be resiliently supported by a tire 11 and the rollers 6, the latter being compressed, when at the lower portion of the wheel, thus allowing the channel ymembers 2 and 3 to approach each other. lt will be noted that the members 7 are of such width that they will not interfere with the relative approaching movement of the channel members. As above stated, the channel members 2 and 3 can also have a limited movement longitudinally or circumferentially.

CII

In assembling the device. the channel member 3 Will be placed in the proper position relative to the Wheel with the angle member' 2 secured thereto. One of the plates 7 can then be placed in position and the rollers G placed in the pockets 5. The other plate 7 will then be placed in position and the loose angle plate 2 brought into position, and this angle will then be secured by applying` and tightening` the nuts on bolt 2.

In Fig. 5 a modilication, in which channel members 2 and 3 are secured and disposed similar to the channel members 2 and 3, already described, and these channel members have plate members or strips 4;', prelierably of metal, secured therein and a block or length of rubber l2 is disposed in the channels in contact With the plates el. rlhe member l2 is provided with spaced perforations 13 extending through said member. It desired, protecting plates similar to the plates 7 shown in Fig. 3 may be used in the structure shown in Fig'. 5. The members l2 Will resiliently support the load on the Wheel and will also permit a slight circum ferential movement of the outer channel member. Y K

From the above description, it Will be seen that applicant has provided a simple and etlicient cushion Wheel and one which Will assist greatly in relieving the vehicle oi shocks and jars. The parts are simple in construction, easily made and will require very little attention in operation. lt will, oi course, be understood that small changes may be made in the form, detail and arrangement of thc device Without departing from the scope 01"' applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claim.

lWhatis claimed is:

A vehicle Wheel provided with a elloe and tire, a cushion rim structure comprising a pair oi' similarly'shaped and outwardly facing angle members forming a channel. nutted bolts passing through said angle members and holding the same in position, a channel member surrounding and spaced from said channel and reversely disposed thereto, blocks secured to said latter channel and one ot said angle members and having oppositely -facing registering; pockets 'formed therein, cylindrical rollers disposed in said pockets, and a plate at each end. of said rollers disposed in said channels and being' oit less Width than the distance between the bottoms of said chan- JAMES H. CLARK.

Witnesses E. S. BAKER, A. G. SoHLonRNELoH. 

